What is a Montessori Environment?

A Montessori learning environment should include some key characteristics. It should be a place where children are treated with great respect, spoken to quietly and at eye level, with positive direction. It should be a place where the furnishings are meant to suit the size and needs of the child and not the adult. It should be a space carefully laid out to provide environmental control of energy, dividing the children into small groupings and breaking up long open stretches that call to the child to run. It should provide ample floor space for working, as well as tables and chairs. Children are very comfortable working with materials on the floor. The walls and shelves should be pleasing to look at and well organized, making them comfortable to be around for young children, who can be overwhelmed by a busy environment. Children are often sensitive to orderliness.

In a Montessori learning environment the teachers take great care in providing a wide range of learning opportunities in science, culture, math, language, social skills, art, sensory and independence. The level of difficulty ranges from what is appropriate for a 2 ½ year old up to 1st or 2nd grade level, in order allow each child to move at their own space, fast or slow. And each activity is carefully designed to limit the variables and focus the attention on specific elements, but also to catch the child’s fancy and make them want to take the activities off the shelf.

The number of transitions should be very limited. Transitions are stressful for children and some even have big emotional responses to them. Montessori learning environments are designed with very few transitions, usually limited to moving from outdoor to indoor play time, or from the work period to circle time. Necessary transitions are handled quietly and with forewarning, and are very consistent from day to day so that children know what to expect. In between these necessary transitions, the children are free to move about the classroom, choosing what activities are of interest to them.

In a well run Montessori environment the children are comfortable, confident, purposeful, friendly and busy. It is a joy to watch! Please contact us if you would like to observe our classrooms in action.